Chapter 29

The alarm blared three times before Chloe Valentine finally pried her eyes open.

Bleary-eyed, she glanced at the clock and jolted upright in bed.

"I'm going to be late!" She frantically shook her roommate awake.

The two sprinted all the way to the library. Chloe doubled over, hands on her knees, gasping for breath.

Evelyn Langley stood waiting by the elevator, arms laden with thick graduate school prep books.

"Which floor?" Evelyn gave her a sidelong glance.

"Two...second," Chloe panted.

As the elevator doors opened, Chloe noticed the books and raised an eyebrow. "Studying? Don't tell me you're applying to grad school."

Evelyn remained silent, calmly watching the floor numbers.

Chloe scoffed. "Most fresh graduates can't even get in, let alone someone who's been out of school for years—"

"Whether I get in is irrelevant," Evelyn cut in. "When you say fresh graduates can't get in...are you referring to yourself?"

Chloe's face flushed crimson. As a junior, she'd been procrastinating on her grad school plans. While her roommates diligently prepared, she kept relying on Nathan Evans as her safety net.

"You think everyone's like you?" she spat through gritted teeth. "He'll give me anything I want."

Evelyn smiled faintly. "Then I hope you always feel this confident."

With that, she strode toward Ryan Clementson who was already walking away.

"Who was that?" her roommate asked curiously.

"No one important," Chloe snapped, then abruptly changed the subject. "Do you know how to make millet congee?"

Her roommate looked baffled. "There are tutorials online."

Chloe immediately downloaded a cooking app and spent the entire morning studying recipes. Her textbooks remained untouched on the table as her roommate watched with concern.

At noon, Chloe rushed to the supermarket and returned with armfuls of kitchenware and ingredients.

"What's all this for?" Her roommate gaped.

"Cooking lessons." Chloe declared with determination. "I'm going to be the perfect domestic goddess."

She refused to lose to Evelyn.

Late that night, Nathan's luxury car pulled up to his estate. The moment he stepped out, a perfumed figure threw herself into his arms.

"Darling, I've missed you so much!" Chloe cooed.

Nathan deftly sidestepped her embrace. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to keep you company." She fluttered her lashes. "Let me give you a massage?"

Rubbing his temples, Nathan replied, "That won't be necessary."